Do you have questions about sex hormones or menstrual cycles? This is a crash-course in human reproductive health through fact and biology-based information on a variety of topics. "Sex 101" will cover reproductive anatomy, key biological changes during puberty, sexual biology and contraceptive methods, reproductive disorders, and a special introduction to the exciting field of Oncofertility. Specific lecture titles are as follows: 1) Reproductive Anatomy & Hormones, 2) Menstrual Cycle, Oocyte Maturation, & Sperm Activation, 3) Sexual Biology, Fertilization, & Contraception, and 4) Reproductive Health & Disorders.
The objective of this course is to ensure you understand reproductive health and not confuse reproduction with sex (or having sex). This course was designed with you in mind, and is aimed at providing you with quality information that is meaningful to you and that may be hard to find otherwise. Reproductive health is an area of knowledge that needs to be demystified. We have designed this course for you to examine reproduction through a biological and scientific lens addressing these issues in a comfortable and interactive format that will lead to a better understanding of holistic health, long-term.

Reviews

MP

Thank you for giving me excellent information on reproduction. It is very helpful course for me. Thank you Northwestern University and coursera.

VS

Jun 15, 2017

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This course is perfect, everything we need to know is there in this course, the videos and the readings are exceptional <3

From the lesson

Anatomy, Development, and Hormones

This module focuses on learning, identifying, and labeling all parts of male and female reproductive anatomy and the function of hormones on development. COURSE GOAL 1: Students will be able to label and analyze the basic functionality of all parts of male and female reproductive anatomy, conceptualize the role of hormones in the interactions between the brain, pituitary, and reproductive tract, and examine the basic functionality of the hormones involved during development and puberty.

Teresa K. Woodruff, Ph.D.

Transcript

[MUSIC] The male reproductive system includes all of the organs depicted here. Let's track the pathway of a sperm from its origin in a testis to its exit in the ejaculate. Men have two testis organs, which make sperm as well as hormones like testosterone. The testes are located in the scrotal sac, which keeps them three to four degrees cooler than core body temperature. Within the testes are coiled seminiferous tubules, that when added up, are just over 800 feet long. Between the seminiferous tubules are the leydig cells, that make testosterone. Within the seminiferous tubules are two cell types. Germ cells and the cells that support germ cell development, the sertoli cell. Sperm are constantly created from spermatogonia and enter into meiosis, a process of division that reduces the amount of genetic material by half. The cells along this pathway are known as the spermatocyte, which differentiate into mature sperm. Sperm have three parts, a head, a middle piece and a tail. The head contains the DNA, while the middle piece has the mitochondria, which provide the energy for the tail to propel the sperm after ejaculation. The sperm are transported from the seminiferous tubule to the epididymis, where they mature. About a thousand sperm are made with every heartbeat. And the ejaculate usually contains several hundred million sperm. Sperm move out of the epididymis into the Vas Deferens, which is a canal that moves the sperm up into the abdomen. And joins the seminal vesicles, and then flows by the prostate gland into the urethra. Fluids from the seminal vesicles modify the pH of the sperm, provide an energy source, and a factor that causes contraction of the female genital tract. The prostate gland also secretes a milky fluid that gives the semen its consistency and color. And then the semen travels out through the penis. The penis is the most visible reproductive tissue, and functions both in reproduction and in the urinary system. It's an erectile tissue and is distended during arousal. This represents the male reproductive anatomy. And more information can be found in the Repropedia. [MUSIC]

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